Loyalty Cards – Why do you need them?

Most of the major retailers in this country operate a loyalty scheme. Typically, this involves the customer signing up for a loyalty card. This is usually done by giving a certain amount of personal information to the retailer in question in exchange for the card.

Loyalty cards with companies both large (national or international) and small (as small as your local corner shop or even plumber!) are using loyalty cards as a way to both increase profits and customer loyalty/retention. They also find that they are more inclined to recommend a company to their friends or family if they operate a loyalty card scheme.

Having received the loyalty card, the customer can either take advantage of discounted prices, special offer or exclusive details on items in the shop or they can build up ‘reward points’ through their spending. When a certain number of reward points have been acquired, they can be exchanged for the goods or vouchers.

There are two benefits for retailers. Firstly, it encourages the customer to return to their shop in search of discounts or reward points. Secondly, the data recorded through the use of the card can give an insight into customer buying habits, telling the retailer what products are popular with what customers.

You might think that these loyalty card schemes are limited to major retailers, but that’s not the case. Loyalty card printing is available for everyone. Cards can be made in relatively small numbers with signature panels and account numbers on them. They can also be produced with magnetic strips for use with swipe card readers or even with bar codes.

Have a look through your own purse or wallet and see how many different loyalty cards you have, you may be surprises!

If you feel your business could benefit from a loyalty card scheme, get some printed today.